Are we ever going to see a return to high playing plant jobs with pension plans, $35 an hour, and double time overtime pay.?

[initforme]

Really? 70 thousand a year is enough for most people to afford a house ina decent neighborhood and a couple of decent vehicle payments. Sounds like solid middle class t o me

You've been told that. It's not reality. The wealthy have their misinformation out there having lesser thinkers actually believe some auto worker making $35 per hour is too much. And they buy it. Dummies.

 

[the watcher]

You will never see that again unless you get the American people want to work again. Too may want to stay home and receive subsistance checks and side hustle and bitch. What robotics and AI can't do now they will do soon, and even a 40 million immigrant work force won't be of use unless they are made to work for slave wages, which is entirely possible. You may see a return to labor camps and hobo jungles, though. We have swapped out our American work ethic for an entitlement ethic.

 

[my2¢]

High wages and benefits have proved themselves unsustainable as manual labor is now treated the same as any commodity.

 

[Hutch Starskey]

Education is important. Based on that view, what is your view of the future of the American middle class. In the past millions of Americans white and black including women were able to get a job out of high school, making a middle-class wage. At least during the World War II era of course many women replaced the men at the plants … many of them left the job after the War but some of them did remain.

Anyways, do you think that those types of jobs are gone now or won’t come back.? If so, I think it’s very unfortunate. Because how many positions that require a college education are going to need to be filled in America in a country country of over 330 million people?

Let’s also consider the astronomical price of a college education in America. There’s tons of examples of people well into their 30s are still paying off their college debt and they will be paying the debt off for a long time.. A lot of folks get a college degree but don’t end up pursuing work in that degree because they can’t find it or they don’t like it.

My dab of everything we are going through a tough economic time. 50 year high inflation. And all-time high for the price of homes and triple the interest rates on loans under Biden compared to under Trump. So right now in America the average American can’t afford a home and 99% of this country….

Homes "unaffordable" in 99% of nation for average American

Home prices have jumped so much that Americans must pay a third of their income on housing, according to one study.

www.cbsnews.com

What do you think the future of home prices will be. Will they again become affordable for the middle-class American like they used to?

My view is that people are hung up on terms like “middle class”. Too restrictive. It means settling for mediocracy. Those days are over and have been certainly declining since the late eighties. I grew up in a middle class and working class county where everyone worked at a plant, factory or mill. My father retired in the early 90s from GM after 35 years only to see his pension cut over and over. This was after years of the company constantly shifting his responsibilities to ever ridiculous roles in an effort to force him out. Today, that’s all gone. That county does not have the opportunity for many to have that middle class lifestyle. Yet they stay there.
I knew that I needed a different path foreword in a different place with more opportunity.

Why would you ever want to go back to that rather than something better?

People need to build skills that will be marketable across multiple industries. Not be dependent on the local plant or mill for their futures.

 

[FranklinRoosevelt_FTW]

My view is that people are hung up on terms like “middle class”. Too restrictive. It means settling for mediocracy. Those days are over and have been certainly declining since the late eighties. I grew up in a middle class and working class county where everyone worked at a plant, factory or mill. My father retired in the early 90s from GM after 35 years only to see his pension cut over and over. This was after years of the company constantly shifting his responsibilities to ever ridiculous roles in an effort to force him out. Today, that’s all gone. That county does not have the opportunity for many to have that middle class lifestyle. Yet they stay there.
I knew that I needed a different path foreword in a different place with more opportunity.

Why would you ever want to go back to that rather than something better?

But where does that leave the country. Those are some good observations about you. But in the country of 330 million people not everybody can be super rich right?

Are we in for some kind of future where there is only the super wealthy and the poor?

I’m upset with the USA for a host of reasons which is why I’ve been taking a break in Southeast Asia for quite some time.

 

[Hutch Starskey]

Liberals are flooding the labor pool with foreigners

What do libs think will happen to wages?

Dashed your hopes of a fulfilling career in meat packing did they?

 

[Dayton3]

You've been told that. It's not reality.

Told? I'm in my 50s you know

 

[Mac-7]

Dashed your hopes of a fulfilling career in meat packing did they?

Sneer all you want

Its only your ignorance of basic economics such as supply and demand talking

When you bring so many foreigners they either go on welfare or take jobs away from Americans who go on welfare

 

[Mac-7]

Really? 70 thousand a year is enough for most people to afford a house ina decent neighborhood and a couple of decent vehicle payments. Sounds like solid middle class t o me

Its better than welfare bums collecting $40k a year sitting on their ass

 

[Hutch Starskey]

But where does that leave the country. Those are some good observations about you. But in the country of 330 million people not everybody can be super rich right?

Are we in for some kind of future where there is only the super wealthy and the poor?

I’m upset with the USA for a host of reasons which is why I’ve been taking a break in Southeast Asia for quite some time.

It’s not about being rich. It’s about doing well enough to avoid struggling. It’s about not being poor or dependent on a local factory for one’s future. I watched many people I grew up with go from strong productive families to struggling and failing with high levels of divorce, substance abuse and no hope. I hate going back there because people are like, “ you’re lucky you got out”.
I just think to myself that no one forced you to stay here. It’s that defeatist and hopeless mentality that I can’t stand.

The best advice I give young people is build yourself up to meet the opportunities you desire. Realize that two incomes will be required to support a family. Marry someone who’s on the same page as yourself. Build your careers and bank account and buy a house before having kids. Make yourselves ready for the future. Don’t be tied to any one place or industry. Always better yourselves to meet the next opportunity you desire. Ignore the dumb shit and keep your nose to the grindstone.

Best thing my wife and I ever did was waiting to have kids.

 

[initforme]

High wages and benefits have proved themselves unsustainable as manual labor is now treated the same as any commodity.

So then DO NOT hire. Please do not hire. Do us all a favor.

 

[my2¢]

So then DO NOT hire. Please do not hire. Do us all a favor.

Not much need to as robots have taken over much of the work done by people's labor. Those mechanically inclined are way better off learning a trade.

 

[Richard-H]

To Class-Climbing Bootlickers, "It's Not a Job; It's a Position"

How successful would China be if their economy weren't subsidized by outsourcing economic traitors? The incompetent American Bizz Skule Gradchewits can only make profits through the cheapest labor they can find. This wouldn't happen if there were any truth to the slogan, "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?'

Yes, we know that the GOP forced supply-side economics on us and gave the majority of the wealth to a tiny number of business whores. They invested it in China. However, the Chinese government has always maintained absolute control in all management and decision making.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

First, I never ever ever ever said that technology costs jobs.
It creates different jobs but tech ALWAYS grows jobs in the end.

BUUUUUT

In 2024 people still whine over losing
coal mining jobs (the GOP is big on this whine)
brainless assembly line jobs
jobs that have simply disappeared...

Why?
I haven't the foggiest idea.

My family went from the coal mines, to the auto industry, to highly paid professional in less than 2 generations. Not a one of us regrets moving on or wants to go back.

Why anyone wants to retire with Black Lung is a mystery.

A Proud People Doesn't Let These Sadistic Skinflints Make the Economic Rules

First, the plutocratic parasites want us to work for less in the replacement jobs. Second, they want us to pay for our training in the better-paying ones so they can freeload off our demoralizing sacrifice.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Put your red hat on when you say that.

That Would Attract the Bull Bullies

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

High wages and benefits have proved themselves unsustainable as manual labor is now treated the same as any commodity.

Success in a Failed Economy Is Nothing to Brag About

Only unsustainable because of an incompetent managerial class. So replace them with the traditional leaders who had started at the bottom. Rockefeller was just a clerk; Carnegie an errand boy, etc.

As long as the employees have to suffer from stupid decisions made at a higher level, they can't be blamed for their dwindling opportunities for benefits. Put a ring around the White Collar and squeeze it until the Suitcoats drop off their high horses.

 

[Dadoalex]

A Proud People Doesn't Let These Sadistic Skinflints Make the Economic Rules

First, the plutocratic parasites want us to work for less in the replacement jobs. Second, they want us to pay for our training in the better-paying ones so they can freeload off our demoralizing sacrifice.

No.

They don't care one way or the other.

Middle class workers have been forced into minimum wage jobs because of a refusal or inability to adapt.
That failure left them without usable skills in a market where their existing skills carry no value.
That doesn't make it the fault of the capitalist.

What is the fault of the capitalist is refusing to pay these workers their actual value because the worker is left with the choice of accept the low pay or starve.

Reset the tax rates to IKE levels
Strengthen unions
Rebuild the middle class

OR

Suffer the consequences.

Perhaps Marie Antoinette's ending can illuminate us as to some of those consequences?

 

[scruffy]

Painters and bricklayers are making $150k + per year?

Longshoremen make about 120k

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Longshoremen make about 120k

Brass-Knuckle Treatment for Those Who Squeeze Wages

That's because the Mafia protects them.